ACADEMICS, business leaders and VIPs were among more than 120 people at the unveiling of a digital design centre at Huddersfield University.
Kirklees Mayor Clr Barbara Allonby, opened the new Centre of Excellence in Digital Design (CoEDD), set up by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.
The university was chosen to house and manage the centre.
Yorkshire Forward has earmarked the region's digital design and creative industries as one of five growth sectors to nurture through investment and promotion.
The centre will provide designers for small and medium- sized businesses.
It is based in the School of Design Technology and almost 50 students were enrolled in September on digital design programmes.
Thanks to Yorkshire Forward inv- estment, the courses offer a £5,000 bursary, with a further £5,000 to cover fees.
Huddersfield communications and design agency Attik is also involved.
The firm helps with the curriculum and recruiting for the MA in creative imaging, one of the five programmes on offer.
Students also get to work on Attik projects.
